Siddheswara Temple

Siddheswara Temple is one of the Valabhi temples in North India. The temple is situated in Uttarakhand in Chamoli District. It has been built to the North West direction of Gopeswara temples. Here a group of small stone temples have been erected near a pool. The Siddheswara Mahadeva Temple which is a Valabhi temple falls in this group. The height of the temple is about 2.30 m. The telachhanda yojana i.e. the ground plan of the Siddhesvara Mahadeva temple is quite simple. It is made of a rectangular garbhagriha and a simple antarala. The respective measurements of the external and internal garghagriha are 1.06 x 1.29 and .80 x 1.00 m. The internal and external measurements of the antarala are 0.30 x 0.72 m and 0.34 x 1.10m. The elevation of the temple also known as the urdhvachhanda yojana of the temple comprises of a simple low addisthana. It has been elevated by a bhitta, vedibandha, jangha and shukhara. The vedibandha is made of karnika, antarpatra, khura kumbha, puspa pattika, and a plain pattika. In the temple the bhadra bhaga of the trianga jangha contains a rathika surmounted by an udgama. The udgama of the western parsva is inclusive of a kirtimukha and bhadramukha. The karma stambhas of the udgama have been embellished with ghata pallava and kirttimukha motifs. A plain pattika and kapotapali are in the upper portion of the jangha which separates it from the shikhara. The shikhara is made of a shandhavedi that is surmounted by a Valabhi. Over the antarala a bhadramukha can also be seen in the middle of the surkanasa places.

The entrance door of the Siddheswara Mahadeva Temple also known as pravesa dwara faces the east direction. The door has been tastefully decorated with parti valli. Its right sakhas are damaged. A river goddess has been installed in the lower left portion of the dwara stambha on the pedya. The uttaranga is decorated with grasa patti. An image of Lord Ganesha can be seen on the lalata bimba. Presently no image is installed on the garbhagriha of this temple. On stylistic consideration the temple may be dated on circa 10th century A.D.